Applications are now being accepted for the 2013 Summer Enrichment Program (SEP) and Health Researchers Youth Academy (HRYA), hosted annually by UK's Area Health Education Center (AHEC). The deadline to apply for this year's programs is Friday, March 22.

These stringent residential camps are designed to help students enrich their knowledge of health and health career options, giving them hands-on experience in a college setting, while focusing on helping them understand the kind of academic preparation needed to successfully pursue these options.

Depending on the specific camp, other activities may include presentations from faculty, staff and practitioners across the region, lectures and weekly clinical shadowing rotations with practicing health-care professionals. Academic courses in chemistry, biology, mathematics or physiology are also included.

"For students, SEP and HRYA camps are an opportunity of a lifetime," said Chris Johnson, associate AHEC administrator and director of the summer camp programming. "These camps offer students the unique experience of health careers in a college setting that will help prepare them for college and beyond."

Both camps are free to those chosen to participate (housing, meals and materials are provided). Current high school sophomores may apply to participate in the SEP program. Current high school juniors are eligible to apply for HYRA.

The Area Health Education Center (AHEC) program is a collaborative effort between the University of Louisville Health Sciences Center and the University of Kentucky Medical Center. For more information about the AHEC program, please visit http://louisville.edu/medschool/ahec or http://ahec.med.uky.edu